Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-04-22
The ajAry nsform Biiis.

When we wrv.e yesterday upon mu-
nicipAl reform the Citizens Street AND
Bower Commission til, had become
lac, bus the Registration and L ection
bill had passed only one II ouse, and
wse vending In the Senate with fair
prospect Of passing that body. 1t at
10rds rs pleasure to state TO our readers
today that the dill has become law,
md hereafter at our municipal cleo
t1ons, pt least. reasonably honest elec-
oaous may be expected, We unhesita-
tangly say that this is one OF the best
-Aets the Legislature has performed for
The city. during Its present session. II
IL the very keynote to honest munlc'.
Pal government. We are not amongst
tAose who are ever ready to charge the
City Council with corruption, indeed
there II NO evidence that single one OF
them has taken Q dollar from the city
In dishonest manner. AS q rule, not
Wlthstanding the corruption which
st,spsd the polls at which many OF
thsm have been elected, they have per-
foemed their duty to the very oes; OF
tAsir ability, and We believe generally
In IN honest and conscientious manner
The great fault has been that the City
Council, no matter what its politics, has
never departed from the old borough
plan which was Lot applicable to large
cities, and when the city government
rot into certain deep worn ruts there
seemed to be lack Of ability, and at
ma willingness to get 1t out OF those
II ha ~ m N n
shat Was more to blame than those who
governed. II Is to be regretted that 4,
became necessary to adopt extreme
neAsures, apparently undemocratic
and unrspublicap, to lift the govern
mont Of the city up to tina plane OF
systematio business methods Of govern
mont, relieved from partisan control.
There is nobody OF accredited 30 md
Judgment who will ros ssy that the
city municipalities should not be run
In IN bipartisan manner. What
should politics have to do with the lay
ing OF water pipes or the paving o.
streets? There is som eth.ng re ousuan
In the thought, snl that macks OF evil
dens injustice, that . job OF work Is to
bs given out that fleets the public good,
and thst all taxpayers alike psy for,
that only men Of certain political opin'
sons can be selected to do that work
When city government comes to that
IL loses its moral force and gradually
sinks into contempt.
For the present the city will have tc
Put up with the Sewer and Street Com
mission. AS we have more than onct
expressed, 1t is Objectionable, In tn. y
takes the power of govern meg. away
from the people, but the. exigen ,ies o.
the times seemed TO demand it, and II
was the best that could bs done under
the otTcuustanses. 1t now remains fol
ia, mmission to show thu. 1t can run
- and Sewer Department Of the
more economical aud Ell cisn,
-sane ~ q COMMITTEES from the
NV Oounc1 coald do it,And have more
n shov for be money expended.
The Com d issi0E Is composed OF prsc-
tioal business men. though IL has been
objected tIkt Mr.. Carpenter Is a large
real estate owner, Mr.. Glwthrop a
plumber, ana Mr.. Murray, quarry
man, owning q stone qussry.
These gentlemen have too N lch sound
practical business sense to permit them
selves to be speedily benefited by q
system OF government OF all times o.
Fashionable, and SO lately pu. on trial.
Thera couid hardly be three men Sc
lec.ed against whom some objections Of
. like nature could not be made. They
should be accorded fair TRIAL and We
believe they will ge. 1t, and /. will be
left for them to demonstrate ty their
actions the wisdom o! de,oslt!Dg such
large powers OF governm ,n; 20 their
control.